


Into Your Arms

by spaghettifiction



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff and Angst, Human Liam Dunbar, Human Theo Raeken, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Light Angst, M/M, Nightmares, Not Beta Read, Past Character Death, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22047052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaghettifiction/pseuds/spaghettifiction
Summary: Theo Raeken is tired and has nowhere else to go.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 10
Kudos: 140





	Into Your Arms

**Author's Note:**

> ok deadass this was a story for my ocs but i miss thiam so i just switched the names, changed some stuff, and called it good  
> warning: my writing's pretty dog shit for i am simply a pasta dish, but i hope u can somehow enjoy it

Theo ignored the heat of the blood and tears trickling down his face. Each zip as he packed his bag grew louder and louder. He swung a backpack over his shoulder and hurried out of his room, making sure to slam the door for dramatic effect. The grumbling from his father in the living room became more distinct.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Theo's father asked violently. Theo could barely understand the slurred words.

“Somewhere."

"I took your fucking car keys, bastard."

Fury pulsed in Theo's veins. He spat in his dad's direction, "I have legs. I can walk, dumbass."

Without another word, Theo turned on his heel and stomped out of the house into the pouring rain. Behind him he could hear the smashing of what he assumed was a beer bottle.

He shivered as he wandered aimlessly through the rain. No one would let him into their house. All of his other friends had their own shit to deal with. Corey was probably fucking Mason. Josh was probably swallowing pill after pill just to feel numb. Theo knew one last person to turn to.

The bruises on his face and body began to throb. The cuts stung harder from the rain. His teeth were kept clenched. Theo was so tired. Tired of his dad. Tired of himself. Tired of living.

After what felt like hours of walking. Theo finally found what he was looking for. His legs trembled, his jaw ached, his eyes burned. It took all of his energy to raise his raw, bloody knuckles to the door.  _ Knock knock _ .

The door opened just a crack. There was a moment of hesitation before it swung wide open.

"What the fuck.” 

"I didn't know where else to go,” Theo mumbled.

Theo's eyes fluttered. His vision began to blur. Before his legs could finally give out, they reached out and helped Theo inside where he would black out.

-

"Raeken? Wake up."

A gentle shake at his shoulders prompted his eyes to open. Theo groaned. The pain started to overtake him again. He pressed his hands against his head. Anything to make the pounding in his brain stop.

He felt hands pull him up onto his feet. Theo paid no attention to his surroundings. He felt the same hands take his backpack off. He felt them push away at his soaked jacket. Theo stumbled against a wall. The person knelt down to take Theo's muddy shoes off. 

"I'm gonna need you to change your pants, they're soaked."

Theo pointed towards his backpack that lay discarded on the ground. They left Theo for a second to grab a pair of sweats from the bag. They came back and helped him out of his jeans and into the sweats. 

Once again they helped him walk. But this time it was towards a bed. Theo gladly collapsed on the plush mattress. For a few minutes he didn't feel or hear anyone.

"Sorry, I had to clean up the mud and stuff."

Theo hummed as a way to acknowledge whatever they said.

"Who did this to you?"

Theo didn't reply. He didn’t have the energy to.

The hands were on him again, holding his face still. A cotton ball dunked in alcohol dabbed at his shallow cuts. It  _ burned _ . Theo hissed at the pain. His fists grabbed at the bed sheets.

"Sorry."

They pressed the cotton ball against other cuts along Theo's complexion. He slowly became numb to the feeling. They held up one of Theo's hands and they dabbed at his torn knuckles. Earning a grunt from Theo. They cleaned the wounds on his other hand. 

"This is terrible."

They applied ointment to the less serious cuts and wrapped Theo's hands with bandages. Then without warning, Theo fell into a deep, dark sleep.

-

Theo opened his eyes to a dimly lit room that was definitely not his. He remembered stopping at the house and collapsing, but couldn't recall what happened after that. The soft light coming from a lamp across the room was enough for Theo to see the bandages wrapped around his knuckles. His lips were chapped and his throat was as dry as a desert. Various places on his body and face still throbbed. His splitting headache had died down.

The door opened and in walked the person who had helped him out. 

"Dunbar?" Theo croaked.

Liam hesitantly approached the bed and handed Theo a glass of water which he took gratefully. Theo chugged it all, a few stray water drops dribbled down his chin which he wiped away. He handed the cup back to Liam.

"Are you doing any better?" Liam sat down in a chair beside Theo.

Theo turned away and scoffed. 

"Who did this?"

No answer.

"Okay, so the biggest fucking asshole shows up on my doorstep needing help and even though he doesn't deserve it, I help him anyway. I think I have a right for some fucking answers."

"I didn't even ask for your charity," Theo deadpanned.

"But you showed up here on your own accord? No. You know what? Fuck you. Get out of my fucking house," Liam gestured violently towards the door. 

Theo looked down at his lap in silence before saying anything.

"My dad. It was my dad."

Liam's outstretched arm fell limply at his side, "Oh."

"You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

Liam looked up at Theo, "You mean this isn't the first time?"

"Fuck's sake, no," Theo laughed bitterly.

"Shit, Raeken…"

"Hell, you already know more than my actual friends, it can't hurt to show you this shit," Theo pushed up the sleeves of his sweater.

Rugged, circular scars of different ages littered Theo's wrists. Cigarette burns. The sharp inhale from Liam cut through the silence. He reached out, but before he came in contact he looked up at Theo who gave him a simple shrug. Liam gently held Theo's wrist, looking at it closely. Mindlessly, he softly grazed his thumb along the scars.

"Did he do this to you too?"

Theo shook his head. 

"Did you… do this to yourself…?"

Theo nodded.

"Fuck…"

Liam's mind was running at a thousand miles per hour. Regrets filled his head. He wished he had never been rude to Theo, he wished he never hated him. It wasn't a dream. Liam could've never thought up Theo being abused, he could've never thought up Theo hurting himself. None of it excuses what he’s done, but holy shit. Who knew what else he was going through?

"Don't pity me."

Liam pulled his hands away, "Theo, this isn't just something I can brush off easily like that."

"I'm going home,” Theo decided after a second of silence.

Theo swung his legs off the bed, but Liam grabbed his arm.

"That's not a good idea."

Theo jerked away from Liam's grasp. He stood up and did everything he could to ignore the aches in his body. Liam rose from his chair as Theo limped towards the door.

"You're just going to get hurt again."

Theo stopped.

"Then I'll just keep coming back to you for help."

"Don't…" Liam murmured.

Theo turned to face Liam, "What?"

"Don't leave yet. At least stay the night."

Theo stared blankly at the other boy.

"I don't like it any more than you do, but just until you're better."

Theo pursed his lips.

“Fine.”

-

It was already late when Theo had originally woken up. The two barely spoke as Liam got ready for bed. Theo was expecting him to pull out some kind of cushion on the ground for one of them to sleep on so that they didn’t have to share the bed.

“We can share the bed, it’s fine,” Liam grumbled.

“Doesn’t really sound fine.”

“I’m just tired, Theo.”

“Speak for yourself.”

Liam turned his back to Theo and turned the lamp off. Theo could feel the angry remark being repressed.

The silvery light from the moon was enough for Theo to see most of his surroundings. Random posters plastered on the walls, Liam’s lacrosse stick, a heap of clothes that were probably dirty. He stared up at the ceiling waiting for sleep to take him again while listening to Liam’s soft breathing.

When Theo opened his eyes he saw his sister. Her skin was sickly pale and her body was badly dislocated. His legs moved on their own. He ran and ran. He looked back to make sure she wasn’t chasing after him, but he bumped into something. It was his father. He turned around, beer bottle in hand.

“It’s your fault. It’s your fault she’s dead. You killed your own fucking sister, you monster.”

Theo opened his mouth to speak, but no noise would come out. He heard the all too familiar smash of a beer bottle.

“Theo!”

He flinched awake. He struggled to catch gulps of air. There was a pain in his chest that had his fists clenching at the bed sheets. Panic and fear began to spread throughout his mind and body.

Liam stared down at him, his eyes were wild with confusion. He swiftly, but gently held the sides of Theo’s face to look at him.

“Hey, hey, you’re good. You’re fine.”

When Theo failed to calm down, Liam remembered something he learned from Lydia. He closed the gap between the two of them, pressing his lips against Theo’s. Theo’s hands flew up to hold Liam’s wrist, but finally he relaxed and leaned into the kiss.

Liam pulled away.

“What the fuck just happened?” Liam breathed out.

Theo stared up at him, stunned, “Nightmare.”

“Hell of a nightmare.”

Liam returned to his side of the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

Theo didn’t bother replying. He was too busy replaying the dream over and over in his head. And the kiss? What the fuck was that? Theo was sure there were more practical ways of calming someone down. His heart was racing so fast, he was convinced it wouldn’t slow down again.

“Theo?”

Liam’s hand found its way to his shoulder. He rolled onto his back, face turned towards the boy next to him. Liam’s hand glided down to Theo’s wrist where he’d rub comforting circles into the scarred skin.

“What’s your favorite video game?”

Theo furrowed his brows, “Is now really the time?”

“Just answer the question, dude.”

“Fine. I don’t play video games.”

“You don’t play video games.”

Theo shook his head.

“Okay, what was the last video game you played then?”

“Well one time I went to an arcade and played a zombie shooter game.”

“Dude, I love those.”

Liam kept the two of them talking. At the time Theo didn’t understand that it was Liam’s way of taking his mind off the nightmare. It worked. Theo was smiley and drowsy. He could barely keep track of Liam's sleepy babbling.

“You’re not that bad.”

Theo scoffed, “Trust me, I am that bad.”

“You’re right, you don’t play video games. You’re terrible,” Liam said as he moved to playfully shove Theo in the chest. 

But he just kept his hand on Theo’s chest.

“What are you doing,” Theo said more than asked.

“I can feel your heartbeat.”

“Did you need proof that I had a heart? You wound me.”

The sleepy laugh Liam let out caused a spike in Theo’s heartbeat.  _ Oh no.  _ Theo prayed Liam didn’t notice that.

“Are you nervous?”

He noticed.

Theo simply shrugged.

Liam pulled Theo close into a hug.

“Go to sleep, I’ll chase your nightmare away.”

And for once in months, Theo had a nightmare free sleep.

  
  
  
  



End file.
